Are Ebay Sales Indicative Of Existing Stamp Populations?

glchen was, I'm guessing, asking for an assessment of what the top 5 or 6 auction houses are. StampAuctionNetwork has about 30-40, perhaps 50 different auction firms associated with it, which really doesn't answer the question. Would anyone want to offer a list of the top 5 or 6? Curious minds would like to know.

I posted the link as while I don't know what the top auction houses are, I do know where to find them.

Christie's Stamp Auctions, Cherrystone Auctions, Regency-Superior, Earl P.L. Apfelbaum, Eastern Auctions, H.R. Harmer, Michael Rogers, Schuyler J. Rumsey, Spink Shreves and Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries if I had to make a top ten list for the North American auction houses. Without actual numbers I can only base this on my perceptions alone. I cannot really reduce it lower to a top 5 or 6. Floortrader probably will be able to do so.

"Would anyone want to offer a list of the top 5 or 6? Curious minds would like to know."


The list would vary depending on what you ar looking for.

"I have to respectfully disagree. I sell many better quality stamps"

I did say generally. I still believe that the ratio of better quality to lower quality is a lower ratio on ebay than at a stamp show or traditional auction.

Certainly it is true at an auction, the only way to make it pay is to have high quality material. In fact many items that were individual lots 20 or 30 years ago no longer have enough value to to be stand alone lots, and now wind up in the remainder and other large lots.

Here are the houses ...


[Sorry, I thought the thread was taking this direction.]

Thanks for those previous definitions of "junk."

I guess my main point was simply to point out that there are collectors of a certain ilk - and those would likely be those with deep pockets with wonderfully rare and pricey collections that many of us wish we could afford - refer to many lesser or common stamps as "junk." These might be stamps that might carry minimum catalog value (just to use a standard here).

To me, these common stamps are collectible and hold important places in the lives of many collectors.

Thanks again for listening.

If enough junk stamps get junked the value of the remaining few might rise high enough for us to go on a junket. Definition (2). Definition (1) is another new one for me.

I think of junk stamps as those of very poor quality or with significant damage. I don't think of unlovely and undamaged low value stamps as junk. Just undesirable.

Terry

I've never thought of low value stamps as junk, but as items in which supply exceeds demand. And on places like ebay, they still sell.

I'm a little confused, I guess. Are you folks squirming around trying to understand what the word "junk" means or how that word gets applied to anything in stamp collecting?

junk - anything that is extraneous to one's interests for any reason.

I collect essays and proofs. The postal historian could care less about that kind of material, which generally has no place in a PH display. Other collectors will insist that they only collect "REAL" stamps, not that back-of-the-book s***. Never mind that it is beautiful and rare, for many, it is junk. Those that take a broader view don't go so far, but they wouldn't start collecting it either. It's not where they're at. I have no problem with that. One less competitor to have to outbid.

The big question here is not "What do other people think," but rather, "How grounded and comfortable are you with YOUR set of preferences, however you came to have them?" If you are satisfied with how you want to pursue the hobby, you are then free to have the largeness of mind to appreciate what others do. And then you do not have to be threatened by someone else's application of the word "junk" to your material. His junk is my treasure. I'll drink to that. Next?

As for the kind of material available on ebay, or any other online venue, everything has its limits. In the past week I have made purchases from Siegel, Kelleher, and Aldrich (still have the unpaid invoices at this moment). They have provided me with buying opportunities or material I don't generally see on ebay. But ebay has been my primary source for a number of things that seldom come down those avenues, if ever. So my cumulative purchases off of ebay tally up to something near to what I get from the houses.

Ladies and Gentlemen, when we talk about what you can purchase on ebay, we're talking about a vast array, and frankly, as a matter of category I don't see what the word "junk" has to do with it.

I will buy what I like from anyone who has it for a price I am willing to pay.

to essayk: Thank you. 'ones mans junk is another's treasure' I have always been turned off and somewhat irritated by members referring to items posted on the site as 'junk'. It is a wonder as to how we can try to forward the hobby of collecting if items are continually referred as such. A better terminology would be less than minimum value. I feel that ANY issue (US or WW)that appeals to a collector is relative to their collecting parameters. Granted there are many 'newbies' wanting to cash-in on collections which they may have obtained from family or in a steamer trunk, but these are not collectors, they are acquirers. There are many dealer that purvey less than minimum value packs as starter sets for the young, or old timers that donate less than minimum value to schools, library stamp clubs, to try & forward the hobby. Learning the value of a stamp issue is only one part of this hobby. The artwork, the history, the ancillary knowledge of the designer, printing technique, inks, cancels etc. are all part of the hobby. The modifier 'junk' when referenced to a question about an item does the hobby a disservice and steers more away from the hobby then towards. (I might also refrain from the use of the phrases containing the word 'labels' when a new legitimate stamp is issued (and I hold that any stamp issued & valid for postage should not be considered as a 'label). These are negative attributes and does not encourage advancement of the hobby.

It's interesting how threads can morph from the original topic into something entirely different. Sort of like the "pass the message" parlor game.

I find the word 'junk' to be much like the word 'weed'. What makes a plant in your garden a weed? It pretty much comes down to someone simply not liking that plant for whatever reason. What one person calls a weed another might find attractive and grow on purpose. There are some general attributes that most can agree upon that make a plant more likely to be considered a weed (i.e. invasive) but it is still wide open for interpretation. Bottom line, these are ephemeral definitions based upon each person's opinion.
Don

"junk - anything that is extraneous to one's interests for any reason"

Not to me - there are things that I have no interest in that I recognise as still having value. To me junk is something I would put in the trash/recycle, and yes I know there are hoarders out there that would still want that stuff.

Hi, I saw that you had the major auction houses listed, but then later you edited out the response. Can you let me know what you had in your original response? I remember reading it, and thinking that I should try to register for those top few that you listed, but now that post is gone. Thanks!